Envelope



April 23, 1963 H. R. LILLIBRIDGE 3,086,695

ENVELOPE Filed Feb. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l ENAIWE I 1 ADDRESS April 23, 1963 H. R..L|L| 1BRIDGE ENVELOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1961 jk NAM ERESS/ 3,086,595 Patented Apr. 23,1963

3,086,695 ENVELOPE Harold R. Lillibridge, San Rafael, Calif., assigner: to Field-Ernst Envelope Co., .a corporation of California Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,161 2, Claims. (Cl. 229-73) This invention relates to a mailing envelope and more particularly to a two-way mailing envelope for use by a sender and an addressee.

An object of this invention is to provide a two-way mailer having two pockets or envelope portions, one of which is adapted to be sent to an addressee and the other of which is adapted to be returned to the sender. An-

other object is to provide such a mailing device with apocket or envelope portion wherein a card, as an I.B.M. card, or other material may be inserted and sent to an addressee; and means for detaching the pocket from another pocket wherein the card or other material may be returned to the sender.

Another object'is to have a cut-out in the addressees pocket portion of the mailing `device which is covered with a transparent material so that a card within the pocket portion bearing the name and address of the addressee may be viewed therethrough.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a two-way mailing device constructed from a single sheet of material, the bottom portion of which is folded and joined into a iirst pocket or envelope for use by an addressee :and a top panel foldably connected to the rst pocket adjacent the open end and foldable over the top thereof, and means to aix the top panel to the edges of the lirst pocket to form a second pocket or envelope for use by a sender. Another object is to provide llaps on opposed edges of the top panel that are foldable over the top thereof and are provided with glue spots for :ailixing the top panel to the first pocket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will readily be apparent from the following specification and from the drawings, inwhich-t FIGURE 1 is a plan` view of an embodiment of a blank cut from sheet material prior to folding into the two-way mailing envelope;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of the envelope after the bottom portion has been folded into a pocket;

FIGURE 3 is similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the flap portions of the top panel folded into position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective rear view of the two-way mailing envelope prior to final sealing;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4 but having the envelope portion partially cut away to show a card inserted into the envelope;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective front view of the two-way mailing envelope in a condition ready for mailing to an addressee;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the return portion of the envelope.

Mailing devices of the type disclosed by this inventiongenerally do not have a two-way envelope, but rather, have one envelope for use by the addressee for returning material to a sender to which a top panel, adapted for the name of the addressee, is foldably joined to overlie the envelope. The top panel is generally provided with indicia and is detachable from the envelope portion. There is no provision for the sender to insert a card or other material in the mailer for receipt by the addressee.

It is common practice for businesses, such as insurrectangular window opening ance companies and those having credit cardV service, to bill their customers with an I.B.M. or the like, invoice card, having a detachable portion for return with a remittance. Applicants two pocket envelope is highly desirable for this type of mailing since it provides envelope. pockets for both the sender and the addressee.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a cutout sheet of material A, preferably of paper, which is creased for folding into a two-way mailing envelope and comprises a generally rectangular panel 10 having sideA ilaps 11 and 12 foldably joined to opposed edges thereof at crease lines 13 and 14, respectively. A bottom panel 15 is foldably joined to the lower edge of the panel 10v at crease line 16. An adhesive is provided on the inner top surface of panel 15 adjacent opposed edges thereof, as at 17 and 18. A first pocket or return envelope portion 20 of the two-way mailer is formed by folding the flaps 11 and 12 over the panely 10 along the lines 13- and 14 respectively, and folding bottom panel 15 upwardly over the panel 10 and the tlaps 11 and 12 -along crease line 16. The adhesive portions 17 and 18 contact the flaps 11 and 12 and seal the panel 15 thereto formingthe first pocketZl) asshown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The outer surface of the panel 15 is adapted for placing the name `and address of the sender thereon, as at 21.

A top panel 22 is foldably connected to the panel- 10 .at crease line 23 and has marginal flaps 24 and 25 fold-- ably joined to opposed edges thereof at crease lines 26 and 27, respectively. An end closure flap 2S is foldably joined to the upper edge of the panel 22 at crease line 29 and has a tab portion 3tldetaehable from the llap 22 along a perforation line 31. The tab 30 is suitablygummed, as at 32, for a subsequent wetting and sealing. operation which will be described later. A generally 35 is provided in the lower right hand corner of panel 22, as viewed inFIGURE 1, and a perforation line 36 scored along the length of panell 22, spaced from and parallel to the crease line 23 and along the bottom edge 35a of opening 35'. A lower portion 22a of the panel 22, lying between the perforation 36 and the crease line 23, provides a closure ilap for the irst pocket and the panel 22 is'detacha'ble along the perforation line 36. The inner surface portion of the closure flap 22a is suitably gummed for subsequent sealing of the first pocket or return envelope 20.

FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 show a transparent material 38 which overlies the opening 35 and is secured around the top and side edges thereof with a suitable adhesive. The bottom edge of the transparent material which overlies the portion 22a is free of adhesive and is not affixed thereto.

After forming the first pocket 20, the next step in the construction of the two way mailing envelope isto fold the side aps 24 and 25 over the panel 22 along crease lines 26 and 27, respectively, as shown in FIGURE 3. Spots of adhesive are provided on outer surfaces of the flaps as at 40 and 41. To complete the construction, the top panel 22 is folded along the crease line 23 so as to lie over the pocket 20 with the tabs 24 and 25 therebetween so that the adhesive spots 40 and 41 contact the surface of pocket 20 at the points 42 and 43 securing the llaps 24 and 25 thereto and forming va second pocket or senders envelope 45 as shown in FIGURE 4, one side comprising the rst pocket 20, the other side comprising the panel 22A The end closure flap 28 provides means to effectively seal the same.

In rusing the two-way mailer, a sender inserts a card 46, see FIGURE 5, bearing the name and address of the addressee, within the second pocket or senders envelope so that the name and address appears through the window opening 35. The closure ap 28 is then folded along the crease line 29 to close the envelope, as shown by the in condition to bemailed. vNote that the senders return address may be imprinted in the upper left corner and the name and address of the addressee is clearly viewable through the opening 35.

Upon receipt of the envelope the addressee may easily 'open the envelope by detaching the closure ap 28 from the gummed tab 30 along the perforation line 31, leaving the tab secured to the outer surface of the envelope, and remove the contents of the envelope. The addressee then detaches the panel 22 from the pocket 20 where it had been sealed thereto by the adhesive spots 40 and 41 and the envelope will have the appearance of that shown in FIGURE 3 except that the tab 30 will not be present. The upper panel 22 is then detached along theperforated line 36 leaving the first pocket or return envelope 20 With the glued flap 22a, as shown in FIGURE 8. The

addressee then inserts material in the pocket 20 for re-V turn to the sender, folds the ap 22a downward along the line 23 and seals the envelope. As previously mentioned, the name and address of the sender may be placed on the pocket 20, as at 21, to facilitate return mailing.

From the above description it can be seen that the novel construction of applicants envelope provides a pair of pockets or envelopes, one of which may be used to send material to an addressee and the other to return material to the sender. The fact that the entire construction is from a single sheet of paper material reduces manufacturing and material costs over a two envelope package, and the ease in which it `can be utilized makes it a practical and useful mailing device for many types of businesses.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may 'be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1..An envelope constructed from a single sheet of material and creased forfolding into a combination twopocket mailing device, comprising, a iirst pocket formed from a portion of said sheet, said pocket being closed at one end of the sheet and opening toward the other end thereof, an adhesive carrying pocket closure flap having one edge foldably joined to the open end of said Ifirst pocket, a top panel joined to the other edge of the pocket closure Hap and having marginal flaps foldably joined to opposed edges thereof, said marginal flaps being adapted to be folded inwardly over said top panel and said top panel and said pocket closure ap being adapted to be folded over one side of said rst pocket, covering said open end and positioning said marginal aps between the top panel and the first pocket, a spot of adhesive on each of said marginal flaps, ,said adhesive contacting the one side of said rst pocket when the top panel is folded thereover to secure said top panel to the one side of said tirst pocket to form a second pocket or envelope therewith, and a top closure flap foldably joined to the top edge of said top panel.

' 2. An envelope constructed from a single sheet of material and creased for folding into a combination twopocket mailing device, comprising, a first pocket formed from a portion of said sheet, said pocket being closed at one end of the sheet and opening toward the other end thereof, an adhesive carrying pocket closure ap having one edge foldably joined to the open end of said iirst pocket, a top panel joined to the other edge of the pocket closure flap along a line of Weakness, said top panel having marginal flaps foldably joined to opposed edges thereof, said marginal flaps being adapted to be folded inwardly over said top panel and said top panel andsaid pocket closure flap being adapted to befolded overV one side of said lirst pocket, covering said open end and positioning said marginal aps between the top panel and the iirst pocket, means for releasably securing said marginal flaps to said one side of the rst pocket to releasably secure the top panel to said one side'of the .'rst pocket to form a second pocket or envelope therewith, and a top closure flap foldably joined to the top edge of said top panel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,175 David June 15, 1954 2,686,005 Hyman Aug. 10, 1954v 2,775,396 Linder Dec. 25, 1956 2,872,099 Prial Feb. 3, 1959Y 

2. AN ENVELOPE CONSTRUCTED FROM A SINGLE SHEET OF MATERIAL AND CREASED FOR FOLDING INTO A COMBINATION TWOPOCKET MAILING DEVICE, COMPRISING, A FIRST POCKET FORMED FROM A PORTION OF SAID SHEET, SAID POCKET BEING CLOSED AT ONE END OF THE SHEET AND OPENING TOWARD THE OTHER END THEREOF, AN ADHESIVE CARRYING POCKET CLOSURE FLAP HAVING ONE EDGE FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE OPEN END OF SAID FIRST POCKET, A TOP PANEL JOINED TO THE OTHER EDGE OF THE POCKET CLOSURE FLAP ALONG A LINE OF WEAKNESS, SAID TOP PANEL HAVING MARGINAL FLAPS FOLDABLY JOINED TO OPPOSED EDGES THEREOF, SAID MARGINAL FLAPS BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED INWARDLY OVER SAID TOP PANEL AND SAID TOP PANEL AND SAID POCKET CLOSURE FLAP BEING ADAPTED TO BE FOLDED OVER ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST POCKET, COVERING SAID OPEN END AND POSITIONING SAID MARGINAL FLAPS BETWEEN THE TOP PANEL AND THE FIRST POCKET, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID MARGINAL FLAPS TO SAID ONE SIDE OF THE FIRST POCKET TO RELEASABLY SECURE THE TOP PANEL TO SAID ONE SIDE OF THE FIRST POCKET TO FORM A SECOND POCKET OR ENVELOPE THEREWITH, AND A TOP CLOSURE FLAP FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE TOP EDGE OF SAID TOP PANEL. 